Minnesota at Pittsburgh

The Steelers by default are going to be facing pointspreads that are juiced all season simply because they are the reigning Superbowl Champs. We faded them successfully last week and it worked out and I'm doing the same this week. The Vikings come into this game at 6-0 and I don't remember a 6-0 team ever getting this many points in a game. I went back to 1989 and found just one time a 6-0 team played as an underdog, and it was back in 2006 when the Colts were a 2.5 point dog to the Broncos in Denver. The Colts went on to win that game outright. The fact is that 6-0 teams are 5-2 ATS as a favorite of 4.5 points or less, including the one time they have been posted as an underdog. While the Steelers have won three straight, they have covered just once and on the season, going 1-5 ATS thus far. Despite playing a schedule of teams that are a combined 11-23 on the season, Pittsburgh has outscored these teams by a grand total of just 28 points. You can take any two teams the Steelers have played to date, and they don't have more wins than the Vikings! This is a statement game for the Vikings, because if they knock off the Steelers in Pittsburgh, they will be in the conversation for the best team in the league. Brett Favre has found a comfortable home in Minnesota, mainly because he has Adrian Peterson who is a constant threat out of the backfield to break off a long one. Pittsburgh has become a pass-happy team (not good), and the Vikings have 21 sacks on the season and will be putting pressure on Big Ben. We have seen that take its toll before on the Steelers' offense. This one sets up to be a field-goal-type game (my computer matchup agrees), so getting this many points is certainly an overlay and bonus. I'll ride with the red-hot Vikings here.